Combating counterfeiting of the euro (Pericles 2020)

 

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 331/2014 — exchange, assistance and training programme for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

Pericles 2020 supports projects which aim to exchange information and expertise on curbing counterfeiting of euro banknotes and coins and related fraud, a constant target for international organised crime.

Complementing national efforts by offering a multidisciplinary and transnational dimension, it encourages cooperation between countries through transnational projects, supporting the development of close and regular cooperation and exchange of best practices.

KEY POINTS

How does Pericles work?

An annual work programme is agreed and funds are allocated to the identified priorities. Calls for proposals are then issued. Financial support is in the form of grants or public procurement for 3 types of actions.

• 1.

  Information exchange: training workshops and meetings mainly involving staff in national administrations responsible for identifying counterfeit currency, central and commercial banks, police, mints and the judiciary. Specialists in the areas of printing, engraving and of detecting counterfeit notes and coins, as well as in intelligence and any other group of specialists concerned may also participate.

• 2.

  Development of technical, scientific and operational support such as teaching resources (e.g. handbooks, databases), computer applications, transnational studies and the development of technical procedures (e.g. methods of detection).

• 3.

  Purchase of equipment: for use by anti-counterfeiting authorities but only as part of a broader strategy, e.g. including training.

Pericles 2020 runs from 2014 to 2020, and has a budget of €7,344,000 for this period. The Pericles programme began in 2002 and funded almost 200 projects and around 6,000 experts from almost 100 countries were trained

These projects facilitated:

• the detection of more counterfeits;
• the dismantling of illegal workshops;
• the application of sanctions and the arrest of more counterfeiters across the EU.

Extending Pericles to non-euro area countries

Initially, the countries involved in the Pericles 2020 programme were those EU countries that had adopted the euro as their single currency (euro area countries).

As of 1 January 2014, with the entry into force of Regulation (EU) 2015/768, all measures implemented under the Pericles programme apply to EU countries both in the euro area and outside the euro area. This is to ensure that the programme is implemented uniformly throughout the EU and that there is the same level of protection for the euro in the EU as a whole.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 1 January 2014.

BACKGROUND

For further information:

• see the Pericles website.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) No 331/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing an exchange, assistance and training programme for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting (the ‘Pericles 2020’ programme) and repealing Council Decisions 2001/923/EC, 2001/924/EC, 2006/75/EC, 2006/76/EC, 2006/849/EC and 2006/850/EC (OJ L 103, 5.4.2014, p. 1-9)

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the mid-term evaluation of the Programme for exchange, assistance and training for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting (‘Pericles 2020’ Programme) (COM(2017) 0741 final, 6.12.2017)

Council Regulation (EU) 2015/768 of 11 May 2015 extending to the non-participating Member States the application of Regulation (EU) No 331/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing an exchange, assistance and training programme for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting (the ‘Pericles 2020’ programme) (OJ L 121, 14.5.2015, pp. 1-2)

last update 23.07.2018